Qibla · Lagos
Qibla direction in Irewe
To face the Kaaba in Irewe, turn to 63.3° measured clockwise from true north, which is north-east (26.7° north of east). The Sacred Mosque in Mecca lies 4,280 km away along the shortest path over the globe, and this is the direction the mihrabs of the mosques in Irewe should follow.
The compass rose shows the Qibla of Irewe as a needle at 63.3°. With a phone app set to true north, simply turn until it reads 63°. A traditional magnetic compass also works, provided you allow for the local difference between magnetic and true north.
Find the Qibla with your phone
How to face the Qibla in Irewe
Stand where you will pray and find north first. Then turn towards east and move a further 26.7° towards north: the result is the bearing of 63.3°. A small error of a few degrees is forgiven by most scholars, but aiming simply at east would leave you about 27° off.
The scholars distinguish two cases: the one who sees the Kaaba aims at the building itself, while the one who cannot see it, as anywhere in Irewe, aims at its direction as well as he reasonably can. Comparing with the mihrab of a local mosque is a quick way to confirm the result. If you travel or move house, check the angle again, since it changes from place to place.
Why a flat map shows a different direction
A straight line drawn on a flat (Mercator) map from Irewe to Mecca points to 67.1° (north-east), 3.8° away from the correct 63.3°. That map line is a rhumb line: it keeps the same compass heading all the way, but it is 5 km longer than the true shortest route. The Qibla follows the great circle, the shortest path on the curved Earth, which is why the bearing differs.
The value of 63.3° is the direction in which the shortest route from 6.4169° N, 3.1406° E sets off towards the Kaaba at 21.4225° N, 39.8262° E. Every accurate Qibla calculator, and the plans of well-oriented mosques, arrive at the same angle for this point.
Distance from Irewe to Mecca and Medina
Mecca is 4,280 km from Irewe as the crow flies, and Medina, the city of the Prophet ﷺ, is 4,372 km away. A direct flight would take roughly 5 h 32 min, although most pilgrims from Irewe connect through Jeddah or Medina airport.
Clocks in Irewe run 2 hours behind Mecca all year. Prayer times, however, depend on the sun at your own location, so always use the prayer times of Irewe rather than those of Mecca.
Finding the Qibla with the sun in Irewe
On 154 days of 2027, the sun passes exactly through the Qibla direction of Irewe while it is well above the horizon. At that moment, facing the sun means facing Mecca. The effect is most frequent in May (31 days); for example, on 15 April 2027 it happens at 12:20 local time.
On 211 days the sun stands exactly opposite the Qibla: then the shadow of any vertical object, a pole, a door frame or a plumb line, points straight towards Mecca. This is most frequent in January (31 days), for instance on 1 January 2027 at 17:21.
| Date | Sun in the Qibla direction (face the sun) | Sun opposite (shadows point to the Qibla) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 January 2027 | — | 17:21 |
| 15 January 2027 | — | 16:59 |
| 1 February 2027 | — | 16:16 |
| 15 February 2027 | — | 15:34 |
| 1 March 2027 | — | 14:49 |
| 15 March 2027 | — | 14:03 |
| 1 April 2027 | — | 13:06 |
| 15 April 2027 | 12:20 | — |
| 1 May 2027 | 11:29 | — |
| 15 May 2027 | 10:49 | — |
| 1 June 2027 | 10:10 | — |
| 15 June 2027 | 09:53 | — |
| 1 July 2027 | 10:00 | — |
| 15 July 2027 | 10:25 | — |
| 1 August 2027 | 11:08 | — |
| 15 August 2027 | 11:47 | — |
| 1 September 2027 | 12:33 | — |
| 15 September 2027 | — | 13:10 |
| 1 October 2027 | — | 13:52 |
| 15 October 2027 | — | 14:31 |
| 1 November 2027 | — | 15:21 |
| 15 November 2027 | — | 16:03 |
| 1 December 2027 | — | 16:49 |
| 15 December 2027 | — | 17:17 |
Twice a year the sun passes directly over the Kaaba, on 28 May 2027 and 16 July 2027. Both moments are in daylight in Irewe: at 10:18 and 10:27 local time, face the sun and you face the Qibla exactly, anywhere in the city.
Irewe compared with other cities
Compared with Abuja, 562 km away, the Qibla in Irewe is turned 1.2° further anticlockwise (63.3° against 64.6°), and Mecca is 560 km farther away. The nearest city with its own Qibla page, Lagos (28 km), prays towards 63.2°, a difference of 0.1°.
Across the 90 cities in Nigeria on this site, the Qibla ranges from 58.6° in Esuk Oron to 70.9° in Sokoto, a spread of 12.3°. That is too large to use one national direction, so each city has its own bearing.
See all cities on the Qibla page for Nigeria.
Qibla in cities near Irewe
Qibla in Irewe: questions and answers
What is the Qibla direction in Irewe?
It is 63.3° from true north, which is north-east: 26.7° north of east.
How far is Irewe from Mecca?
4,280 km in a straight line over the globe, and 4,372 km to Medina.
When does the sun show the Qibla in Irewe?
On 154 days of 2027 the sun stands in the Qibla direction; the table on this page gives the exact time for the 1st and 15th of each month.
Why is the Qibla in Irewe not the direction shown on a map?
Flat maps distort directions. The line on a map points to 67.1°, but the shortest route on the globe leaves Irewe at 63.3°, and that is the Qibla.
Does the Qibla change during the year?
No. The direction of 63.3° is fixed; only the times when the sun lines up with it change from day to day.